Underfoot

 

It rained last night, and it will rain tonight, and it will rain off and on for days to come, but this morning was a perfect day for a walk in the park. 

I haven't been having much fun lately. Last week on Tuesday I had a root canal that was complicated and took almost two hours. Then my jaw has been sore for a week. Two days later I was back in the dentist chair to have my permanent crown put on that tooth. OK, done with that.

But no. Friday night I was using a gum massaging tool that the dentist gave me and off popped an old crown an the other side of my jaw. 

I got an appointment for the next Tuesday morning, so I couldn't go with Tom and Jake to Whidbey Island for the day. At least at the dentist they were able to use the old crown - no complications. 

On the way home I stopped at the store and bought myself a piece of chocolate mousse cake. I needed a treat.

Then after a late lunch, I went outside and cleaned off the patio. 

As you can see this morning's walk featured gold underfoot. It was lovely, and I listened to my favorite John Denver music in my hearing aids as I walked my mile plus. 

Tom said he had a job for me to do today but he couldn't remember what it was. Too bad. 

I have mailed a card to my brother, who will be 75 next week, and have started the pork stewing that will be the base for pozole for dinner.  

During the last week we have worked in the back yard. I cut the edges of the lawn and we both picked up. Today Tom is finishing up the island bed in the lawn. It's all looking very trim. Tom mowed/mulched the leaves on the lawn and they make a pretty mulch in the bed.

Wood is stacked in the garage for our first fire in the fireplace, the remedy for cold November rain. 

I can chew on both sides of my mouth again! Things are looking up. And looking down there is lingering beauty all around. 

Fall Is Falling

We had some dark stormy days this past week, and I have been having a lot of uncomfortable dental work, so I was happy to get outside in sunshine for a few hours this Saturday morning.

The autumn leaves have been glorious this year. In our garden the dogwoods and maples have been going through their color changes, each tree at its own pace. I have seen the same sequences in the trees over at the park where I walked when it was dry.

In the back yard, the red Japanese maple, the Korean dogwood, and another red maple. maple. 

In the front yard, the Fern leaf Full Moon Maple and another Korean Dogwood. 
 

And now this weekend the leaves are falling and forming a colorful carpet under the trees. 

Over at the park.

Yesterday Tom picked a rose, maybe not the last rose of summer, but close, and a perfect accompaniment to my grocery store bouquet of mums in autumn leaf colors. 

We'll be back outside again Sunday morning, grabbing all of the Autumn beauty we can before the rains return again. 

Annual Norquist Family Cider Bee, 2025 Edition

 

The weather was good! Dry is always good. 

The apples had been fetched from east of the mountains. Thank you, Ben and Laurie.

The clan began to gather. Coffee and yummy bakery goods were available to get us going. 

While this is the Norquist Clan, no one here has that surname any more. Since the brothers moved east, it is the sisters and their families who are maintaining the tradition.

Manning the apple presses.

Tom, Jake, Isaac, Andy, and Coral. 

Troy and Nora's boyfriend, whose name I should know but don't. :-/

Bottling the cider,

Laurie and Heidi

Drinking coffee and supervising. 

Tom

Supplying cuteness.

Cutting apples.

Laurie, Hannah, Jill, Stewart, Seila

Coral, Linda, Stewart, Kathy

Brothers. Ben and Andy

Sisters, Heidi, Nora, Hannah

Group selfie. Thanks, Katie, for many of these photos. 

Seila, Isaac, and Jill

Laurie's daughter Katie, Troy, and their family

Linda, Tom and their "kids".

Ilene's sons Stewart and Tim with some of the Grady bunch (DJ, Kathy, and Tim and Kathy's grandson.)
Laurie and her "kids".

Our hosts, Ben and Ericka. Their daughter Mia and Ilene's granddaughter Stephanie joined us later via Zoon for the cabin meeting. 

The product, lots of fresh apple cider. 

Once again we enjoyed lots of visiting and laughing and eating and some Rockaway cabin business, a legacy we all share.